Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 9/8/11
 

Commercial hatcheries in the 19-state weekly program set 190 million eggs in incubators during the week ending Sept. 3, down 7 percent from the eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier, according to USDA.

In its weekly Broiler Hatchery report, the agency said average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 85 percent. Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.

Broiler growers in the program placed 162 million chicks for meat production during the week ending Sept. 3, down 5 percent from the comparable week a year earlier.

Cumulative placements from Jan. 2 through Sept. 3, 2011, were 5.91 billion, down 1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

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